Sewer-trap.



l. ELDER.

SEWER TRAP.

APPLICATION. FILED FEB. 5, 19N.

Patented July 17, 1917.

.4 TTURNEY J. ELDER.

SEWER TRAP.

APiLlCATION FILED FEB. 5| I9l'4.

Patentedluly 17, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY `or inothenwords, 900,

JOHN'ELDER, 0F

ernten.

NEWy YORK, 1v. Y;

SEWER-TRAP.

Specification o f Leeerslaten Y l ratenteu'auiy intatti.,

Application ined February 5, 1914.' serial no. sltgvle.

B'lelit knownthat' I; Joran ELDER, a citizen 0f u1@ United states, and fesident'of ai@ bte ougli of Manhattan, city', county, and State ofNew Yorl`,'have invented'certairifnewand useful Improvements' in Sewer-Traps, ofy which tl'ie following "is specification.

present invention 'relates' `to :sewer traps', and has :forv its* objectuto providey means whereby they back' `flow from a sewer will operate' automatically to close OrESluf't' oiifthe connection ofsaid" sewer with' the drain 'pipe leading front the hfo'usel or` other n. place;vv My invention comprises improved means for accomplishing the Vresult just' mentioned," in a simpler'andinexpensive yet efficient manner." @ther4 features'of my invention. 'will'*`appear from"Y the description following hereinafter, and from .the append ed'claim'sl f il. n n n Referenceis vto be Lhad to accompanyi ingfdrawings, in which' Figre l is"a'dia gramm'atic' side` elevation ofa sewer trap and its connections, constructed accordingto one fornrof my' invention ;l 2. is a lon-` gitudinal'` verticalf section, on an" enlarged' scale,` showing'chi'eiiy the sewer'shnt ofi" valve and the parts adjacentithereto; is aflong'tudin'al verticalsection, on an enew larged s`eale',fof'y aj portion of the floatftanl` together with the valve operateds by the` float and Ais'a detail vertical "section ofl the valve for" shutting oii'the wateryand of the fmechanislrnV for operating. such valve. y'

Referring'it Figsl to l',inclusive, A des-l ignates a valve' Vcasing `lavinig;V an inlet adaptl edfor connectionwlth a drain A2 through" which water is discharged `from a house or other. place, and also having an outlet K' through"u which such waterk passes te the sewer. A Thecasing'A i's als'oiprovi'ded'with" two openings A3 and respectively; generally arranged'iat right angles toleacll other,V

i Y apart;thn`sthe openfing A3'islo'cated at the back of the casing, to receive a horizontal' connection, while the opening-Affy is locatedat" the bottoni andiis thus adapted'to receiveja vertical connec# tion. .One of the openings, Etor instance A,

is normally closed by a plug B,

Yalso serving as a drain plug, while the other opening, in thiscase A3,'"is connectedby ayjpipe'C with alcliamber containing a float* ',This ioat chamber D slrould be at substantially." the salne'l'vel lasy the valve' casing A, so'th'atv water backing up from the sewer connection A will cause the HoatE-'to rise. Fig. listo" be understood'asa diagram, that ist'o say,- it'only shows the general arrangement and various parts, without" fz.' i

connection off the making any attemptto illustrate the proportions correctly.

two openings Aal andl A" arranged as set :torthyis toenablethe connection' Gto ben attached either to theopening A3 or tothe as` may be most convenient in'` each 'particular case, and I the two openings*- same size, and threaded opening A4,

are therefore ofI` the alikey sothat the plug B'will iiti either of them, and the end of the pipe G likewise.' The casing A `also on which 1s adaptedto fit'the main valve or sewer valve lG, provided with* a" screw-` threaded projection G screwingvinto nut@ pivoted atH to'a` link J, pivotally connectedat J with'an` arn'rK"` H. This nut isiormed with'a' which lea-ds' a ductK. said socket is located a washer' K2, adapted to engage' the endl of a valve L- longitudinal passage L tubular rod M.

ed lexternally to forming tothe lowing for a slightindependent movement of saidvalve. In Fig. 2, the valveL' is down upon its-seat' K2, so as to close the outlet-of gne passage L; if the rod Mwith the valve independently of` the cap "N' and'the'f4 arts' connected therewith '(sewer valve G so that communication 'willbe established be'- tween theoutletduct K andthe'val've passage L', since thev valve its washer K2.' n loosely through the'casing A' atGS; said armserving to sup` port and guide the valve Gin its move- The arm' K is screw-thread` receive a nut orcap-N con'- The projection LG extends lThe purpose of having contains a valve seat F,

hemispherical socket* from-V' At the bottom ofy having a and secured i to* a' ball-shapedivalve L, but al-` should rise, thevva'lve L will` atf'rs't move" L will ybe raised offf" an arm'Gz, 'fulcrurned upon ment; `while allowing-"suiii'cientf freedom Aso that-the'said valvew-ilradjustitself to the seat' F atY all points of 'its periphery. The-hollow rod M is 'guidedbypassing through a cover 0 screwing' into anlopening A5'A 0il the casing A, andtheupper end of the rod M passes through'af piston Qm'ov# able 'in a cylinder` P screwed to tliefmverl 0."

its' upper compartment in communication ing V` secured to the with the casing A through the tubular piston rod M, the upper end of which receives a nipple R, for a purpose to be stated hereinafter. A coiled spring U tends to raise the piston Q. The upper end of the cylinder is closed by a head or cover S provided with a tubular extension S the outer end of which is normally closed by a plug S2. The extension S has a lateral port from which a pipe T leads to a water supply controlled by the float E. In the specific construction shown, the pipe T communicates with a pipe T2 leading to a lateral port in the valve casioat chamber D (see particularly Fig. 3); This casing is provided with av valve seat V for the sliding valve W secured to a rod W, W2 (made in two parts in order that a packing W5 may be applied), said rod having an angular passage W4 through which the pipe T2 may at times communicate with ,the interior of the float chamber D, since'said passage leads to the tloat chamber. A collar W3, secured to .the rod portionW2, is engaged by a coiled spring X the other end of which bears against a shoulder within the valve casing V. At its outer end, said casing V is connected, by a pipe Y, with a main Y containing water under pressure.

The inner end of the passage W4 is adapted to be closed by a washer Z carried by the float lever Z which is fulcrumed atZ2 upon a bracketD secured to the oat chamber D. This lever also operates to shift the valve W olil its seat V, as more fully described hereinafter. The connection of the lever Z with the tloat E is preferably an adjustable one, as by means of a pivot pin E2 adapted for insertion in any one of several superposed openings E3 provided in a rod E secured to said float.

Thel operation of the device described above will be understood readily. When water backs up from the sewer, such water will reach the lioat chamber D through the pipe C and will cause the float E to rise. This will bring the Washer' Z against the inner end of thev valve rod W, W2, so as to close the outlet of the angular passage W4 and to shift said rod toward the right (Fig. 3), whereby the valve W will be moved 0E itsseat 1V', thus admitting water from the main Y and pipe Y to the interior or' the vvalve casing V, the pipe T2, and the pipe T.

This water will pass through the tubular extension S into the upper compartment of Y the cylinder P, above the piston Q. A small A through amountof water will pass through the nippleR and lhollow piston rod .M to the, valve passage' L. and into the chamber or casing the duct K, but this small escape willnot aect the operation. Immediately after'the admission of water above the piston Q, said piston will be driven downward bythe pressure of such water; the irst effect sage L; tlien'the further downward movement of the piston will, through the parts K, J, I-I, and G2, close the valve G against its seat F, thus preventing the water from backing into the connection A2. The valve G will be held in its closed position as long as the level of water in the lloat chamber D is suliiciently high to keep the water valve W open. Inasmuch as the pipe C leads from the float chamber D to a point of the casing A on the sewer side of the valve seat F, the Water in the float chamber will. sink as soon as it recedes in the sewer. This will bring the ioat E back to the lower position shown in Fig. 3, the water valve W closing under the influence of its spring X, and the washer Z uncovering the inner end of the passage W4. The action of the spring' U will then force the piston Q upward, so that, at first, the valve L is raised oli1 its seat K2, allowing a portion of the water contained above the piston Q to pass out through the nipple R, tubular rod M, valve passage L, and duct K. The main portion oi the water, however, will be forced, by the rising movement of the piston Q, through the eX- tension S, pipes T and T2, valve casing V, and angular passage W4 into the float chamber D, from which it will be drained through the pipe C. The upward movement of the piston brings the valve G to the inoperative position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, in

which position the valve does not interfere with the passage of water from the drain connection A2 to the sewer connection A.

In some cases it may be desired to shut oil: the water supply from the house or other place when the sewer valve G is closed, so as to avoid flooding the drains at a time when the Water cannot run ott' at all, or only with difficulty. (Of course, the sewer valve will open slightly, to let a limited amount of water pass through it, even when pressure is on the upper surface of the piston Q, provided the pressure of the water seeking escape through the drain, is greater than the back pressure from the sewer). For shutting o the water automatically from the house, in case the sewer valve is closed, I may employ the arrangement shown in Figs. land 4.k The pipe T2 has a connection, controlled by a valve T3, with a pipe T leading to the upper compartment of a cylinder a. In this cylinder is mounted to slide a piston b, which a spring c presses toward the pipe T. The piston is secured to a tubular piston rod d extending to the outside of the casing .or cylinder a and terminating at its lower end within a box f having a limited vertical movement relatively to the piston rod. Said rod has a collar d adapted to engage the bottom of a plug or stuffing box e valve g isadapted to engage a seat h in a Awater from the pipe Y valve casing it included in the path of the water through the pipe Y, the connectionV Y being nearer to the water supply than the valve casing 7L, so that water will reach the valve W even when the valve gis closed.

It will be obvious that when thefloat E opens the valve in the manner described above, then, if thevalve T3A (Fig. l) is open, will pass not only to the cylinder P, but also tothe cylinder a. At, iirst, the piston b will move downward without alectingthe valve g, and a small amountof water will escape from the upper chamber of the cylinder a by way of the hollow piston rod 0l, the box f, and its outlet f', without however affecting the operation. Almost immediately, the end of the piston roda? will bebrought into engagementwith thewasher f2, so that water cannolonger escape from the cylinder, and so that the further downward movement of the piston will close the valvepg.` When the valve W closes again as described above, the spring c will force the piston b upward, which will at first cause the lower endof the piston rod a to rise from the washer f2, allowing 4the waste water' lto escape from theupper compartment of the cylinder aA and from the c. pipe Y, as the piston b continuesto rise.

During` such movement, the collar d will come in engagement with the plug e,',and from that moment on, the valve g will move upward in unison` with the piston thus restoring said valve to the open position shown in Fig. 4l. If it is not desired to'have the water supply to the house shut oft' when the sewer valve G is closed, the mechanism for closing th valve` g can `be rendered inop-l erative by closing the valve T3.

The construction shown may also be utilized for testing the tightness of the joints in the drain pipe or waste pipe leading to the connection A2. For this purpose, as shown in Figs. l and 2, an opening A6 may be provided in the valve casing A onthe house side of the valve seat F, that is, toward the connection A2. This opening, when not used, may be closed by a plug Y4 (F ig. 2), but for testing purposes, a pipe Y2 would be connected with said opening to supply water, say from the main Y, to the connection A2 and the drain pipe or waste pipe leading thereto. Fig. 1 suggests a pipe when it is desiredlto admit water through A6 for testing purposes. At the time of such testing, the valve G should of course be closed.

Various modications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with the casing having an inlet adapted for connection with a drain and an outlet adapted for connection with a sewer and provided with a valve seat, of a float chamber communicating with said casing on the side of the valve seat arranged nearest the outlet, a valve arranged to fit said seat and to open toward the outlet, a lioat in said float chamber, hydraulic mechanismv operated by said float for automatically closing said valve when the float'rises, and means separate from said hydraulic mechanism for normally maintaining said valve in open position.

2. The combination with a casing having anv inlet adapted for connection with a drain, and an outlet adapted for connection atingsaid valve, a float chamber communieating with said casing on the side of the valve seat nearest the outlet, a li'oat in said chamber, means operated by said float `tor admitting fluid to said cylinder on one side of said piston for closing said valve, and a spring engaging the other side ofsaid piston fornormally maintaining said valve in open position. l

8. The combination, with a valve casing adapted to be interposed in the connection from a drain to a sewer, and a valve located in said casing to control such connection, oit' a loat chamber communicating with said casing, a float in said chamber, an operating memberconnected with said valve, conduit leading to said operating member, a valve for `governing the flow of water through said conduit, an actuating member connected with said water valve and pro-- vided with a passage open to that portion of said conduit which leads to the operating member of the first-named valve, said passage having a port adapted to discharge water into said float chamber, and a float lever, connected with said float, adapted to close said port and to shift said actuating member and water valve.

4. The combination, with a valve casing adapted to be interposed in the connection from a drain to a sewer, and a valve located in said casing to control such connection, of a ioat chamber communicating with said casing, a ioat in said chamber, an operating member connected with said valve, a water conduit leading to said operating member, a

a water valve for governing the flow of water through said conduit, an actuating rod connected with-said water valve and provided with a longitudinal passage having a lateral port open to that portion of said conduit which leads to the operating member of the first-named valve, said passage also -having an end port, adapted tofdischarge water into the float chamber, and a washer, operatively connected with the float, adapted to engage said actuating member to close the end port thereof and to open the water valve.

' 5. The combination with the casing hav` ing an inlet adapted for connection with a drain and an outlet adapted for connection witha sewer, said casing being also provided with a valve seat, of a float chamber communicating with said casing on the side of the valve seat arranged nearest the outlet, a valve arranged to fit said seat and to open toward the outlet, a hydraulic cylinder above said casing, a piston movable in said cylinder, a hollow piston rod connected with said piston and extending downwardly into the casing, an operative connection between said piston rod and said valve, said connection including a member shutting an outlet from the hollow piston rod to the interior of the casing when said piston rod exerts pressure on said connection to close said valve, a float in said lioat chamber, a conduit for supplying water to said cylinder above the piston, a valve controlling the supply of water to said conduit, a member for operating the last-named valve, said member extending into the float chamber and being provided with a passage communicating with said conduit and having an orice within the float chamber, an actuating member operated by the movement of said 'float and adapted to engage said valve-operating member and to close the oriice thereofwhen the float rises, and means for causing the piston to rise so as to first open the outlet from the cylinder into the casing, through the hollow piston rod, and thus relieve pressure within said conduit, and thereupon open the valve within said casing.

6. The combination with the casing having an inlet adapted for connection with a drain and an outlet adapted for connection with a sewer, said casing being also provided with a valve seat, of a float chamber communicating with said casing on the side of the valve seat arranged nearest the outlet, a valve arranged to fit said seat and to open toward the outlet, a hydraulic cylinder adjacent to said casing, a piston movable in said cylinder, a hollow piston rod connected with saidpiston and extending into the casing, an operative connection between said piston rod and said valve, said connection including a member shutting an outlet from the hollow piston rod to the interior of the casing when said piston rod exerts pressure on said connection to close said valve, a iioat in said Heat chamber, a conduit for supplying water to said cylinder on the side of the piston away from the casing, a valve controlling the supply of water to said conduit, a member for operating the last-named valve, said member extending into the float chamber and being provided with a passage communicating with said conduit and having an orifice within the float chamber, an actuating member operated by the movement of said float and adapted to engage said valve-operating member and to close the oriice thereof when the float rises, and means for causing the piston to move away from the casing so as to first open the outlet from the cylinder into the casing, through the hollow pistonrod, and thus relieve pressure within said conduit, and thereupon open the valve within said casing. i

In testimony whereof, I have signed this speciication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN ELDER. Witnesses:

JOHN Lo'rKA, CHARLES MATH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C. 

